Play, Test, Repeat: The Journey of a Video Game Tester

The gaming industry has gained tremendous growth and popularity with the evolution of new generation computers and consoles, being video games a favourite hobby of many. With increased popularity, complexity also continues to increase. The need for detail-oriented and dedicated testers is growing at a fast pace. In the gaming industry, video games testing might be the one that gamers around the world dream about.

Of course, game developers and studios may lose profits by releasing a game that is full of errors or flaws and thus, they hire gaming enthusiasts so as to test their products beforehand. With this, people who are engrossed in playing video games get an opportunity to make money out of something they love doing.

Like any other testing activity, video game testing plays an important role in the development of a video game. The testing process begins while the game is still in the development phase and once it gets finished, the game testers make the final end-to-end testing to ensure that the gamers get a good experience out of it. Like software testers, video game testers perform the testing to find errors, bugs and other issues that could frustrate the end-users if not fixed.

One must keep in mind the fact that video game testing is not as easy as it sounds. It is a complex task and requires a structural and disciplined approach to 'video game' testing. A good game tester needs to have a good eye for detail, critical thinking and the ability to remain focused.

Who Need a Video Game Tester?

It is a very common question and most of the time people think about why people make games. Well, the simplest answer for that will be that it brings billions of Dollars to the media & entertainment industry. Yes, that is true!!! Launching a game will cost you millions of Dollars but it does have the potential to generate more revenue.
Error-free gaming is paramount and one should understand that testing a game is important before the launch. That is where arises need for testing services for media & entertainment. An expert video game tester will measure all the tenets including the load and graphic issues. There are thresholds after which a game can crash. By testing games, you can find that threshold and work on it to make it better. That will take you closer to billions of Dollars.

Traits of Video Game Tester:

1. Be Skillful: The developers need a tester who is talented as well as passionate about gaming. One needs to be familiarized with the latest trends and terminologies related to gaming and social media network can be a great help in this case. You should play the kind of games you like so as to be an expert in a particular genre. You might already be an expert at certain genres, still, you must give a shot to the new ones too.

2. Go for Technical Training: Though for entry-level game testing positions, one does not require a college degree. But still one can opt for a career option in computer programming, software development or graphic design. A well-rounded entrant will definitely make a better career in the gaming industry.

3. Technical Expertise: One needs to learn the tactics required to write a bug report. More experience can be gained through participation in beta testing of games and interning at gaming companies which will further add to your resume.

4. Computer/Game Skills: Basic knowledge of computer programming, previous experience with games and a fundamental understanding of its hardware components are some of the requirements to be skilled in this area. For being successful, enhance your video game skills, learn about various genres like puzzle games, arcades, multiplayer games, shooting games, online games, mobile games, console games etc. If you keep yourself up-to-date with the latest gaming trends, this will help you in this career.

5. Interpersonal Communication Skills: Here both written and verbal communication skills play an important role. A good video game tester constantly communicates with the development team and also the fellow testers to keep them updated about the issues and bugs he/she finds. So the bugs need to be documented precisely and concisely in the bug tracking tool so that these can be explained to the development team if required.

6. Excellent Soft Skills: A good tester is always a team player with a positive attitude. Getting along with your co-workers is always an added advantage. Testing can often be tedious and extremely frustrating at times so keeping yourself calm and composed is all you need.

7. Keeping a Good Eye to Details: A good tester needs to be very painstaking and must have an attentive span. This field is not for you if you get bored after playing it for a while. For being successful in this area, find new video games and beta test them. Sometimes the game studios often release beta versions of their upcoming games so as to get the feedback of the users so you can use them to sharpen your testing skills.

8. A Good Bug Hunter: A good tester has the ability to detect the bugs, finds reliable ways to reproduce them easily and keeps the documentation short and precise so that the bugs can be easily replicated and fixed by the development team. For more success, beta release games can be used to find the bugs and make a good bug report. While contacting the game studios with your report, be more detailed and they might offer you an opportunity if they will think that you’re good at it.